The NITI Aayog has released its rankings for a first of its kind, composite water management index. For this, all the states of India were divided into two categories—general States and north-eastern and Himalayan States.

Among the general States, Gujarat topped the list, while in the other category, it was Tripura which led the group. Following Gujarat were the states of Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra, in that order. In the north-eastern and Himalayan states list, Tripura was similarly followed by Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, and Assam.

On the other end of the list, Jharkhand, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar were the worst performers among the general States.

In terms of incremental change, it was Rajasthan which held the first position among general States, and Tripura in the other category.

According to this report in the Times of India, the states were ranked across nine parameters which included ‘ restoration of water bodies, irrigation, farm practices, drinking water, policy and governance’.

These rankings were part of a report released by Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Shipping and Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, and NITI Aayog vice chairman, Rajiv Kumar. Going forward, the NITI Aayog has proposed to publish these rankings annually.